KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Even before the Yankees took the field for their 8-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday, the day’s most important work had been accomplished: Derek Jeter ran the bases with his teammates for the first time since breaking his left ankle in October.

Jeter also took part in agility exercises with the rest of his teammates who stayed behind at the team’s complex in Tampa.

"It’s a natural progression," Jeter told the Associated Press. "But everything went good. It went fine."

Jeter had insisted last week that he was making progress in his rehab.

He had been running on a treadmill and doing his own agility work.

"It’s really nothing much different than what I was doing," Jeter said. "I was just at a different pace than everyone else.

"So while they’re doing one thing, I don’t want to be doing something else."

• Concentrating on his fastball, David Phelps strung together two scoreless innings against the Braves. He allowed three hits.

Phelps is competing with Ivan Nova for the fifth spot in the team’s rotation.

"I’m just trying to go out and continue what I was doing last year," Phelps said. "Have some success, hopefully build my confidence up and just get ready for the season."

• Robinson Cano mashed a solo homer in the fifth inning yesterday.

But Girardi was equally impressed by an earlier opposite-field shot by 23-year-old outfielder Zoilo Almonte, who had an .808 on-base plus slugging percentage with Double-A Trenton last year. He also threw out a runner at third base.

"We’re excited about this kid," Girardi said. "A switch-hitting corner outfielder that we believe has a really good swing . . . That’s really good, when you drive a ball the opposite way for a home run. He hit that ball hard."

• Minor-league pitcher Nick Goody sprained his right ankle after being rear-ended in a multi-car accident Friday night.